A CAMPAIGN to prune back "excessive" Government spending on potted plants has been launched by a Hampshire MP.

Mark Hoban, Tory MP for Fareham, decided to act after he discovered central government departments were forking out tens of thousands of pounds every year to add a little greenery to their offices.

The information was revealed after Mr Hoban tabled a series of Parliamentary questions to get to the root of the problem of over-spending by officials. It showed the biggest spender was the Department for Children, Schools and Families, whose bill for pot plants grew to £78,000 in 2007/8.

The Department for Justice spent £26,000, Culture, Media and Sport £24,000 and International Development £22,000.

The Home Office, Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence failed to come up with figures for their own spending habits, while the Wales Office said ithad spent nothing on plants over the past five years. Even so, Mr Hoban estimated total government spending on pot plants reached more than £200,000 over 12 months.

The MP told the Daily Echo: "This is clearly a significant expenditure, someof it excessive. Government departments are spending our money and they need to think about the amount they are spending so they can be confident they can justify to the taxpayers they are spending it well."

Mr Hoban, who has previously dug out information on public expenditure on first class rail travel and flowers, denied he was seeking to ban pot plants from government buildings.

He said: "It's up to departments to decide how much they spend, but theyhave to be happy when information is published like this.

"We have seen taxes go up and people want to know their money is being spentwisely. It's the job of MPs to hold Government to account on how they spend their money."